Lighting fixture



Oct. 17, 1933. M. B. B E CK LIGHTING FIXTURE Filegl Jan. 29, 1932 Patented Oct. 17, 1 933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1,931,1tiil LIGHTING FIXTURE Morris 13., Beck, New York, N. Y.

Application January 29, 1.932. Serial No. 589,556)

1 @laim. (Cl. 240-78) This invention relates to lighting fixtures. 'scription and the drawing, in which is illustrated Generally, this inventionis directed to an aran embodiment of apparatus for carrying out the rangement whereby a lighting fixture unit asinvention. sembly, adapted. to receive or including a shade, The invention, however, is not intended to be 5 can be substituted for an electric bulb without restricted to any particular construction, or to 60 requiring electrical or any other changes, and any particular application of such construction, coordinately relates to an'arrangement whereby or to any specific manner of use, or to any of a lighting fixture unit, predetermined as to the the various details thereof, herein shown and positional relationship of its luminous elements described, as the same may be modified in variwith reference to the unit, will receive only an ous particulars or be applied in many varied rela- 65 electric bulb capable of effectuating this prede- .tions without departing from the spirit and scope termined relationship of the luminous elements. of the claimed invention, the practical embodi- It is an object of the invention to provide an inept herein illustrated and described merely electrical fixture which, on assembly with an showing one of the various forms and modificaordinary outlet in the same manner as any? tions in which the invention might be embodied. 70 other electrical apparatus, retains its own shad- For the attainment of these objects and of such ing means. The invention has particular appliother objects as may hereinafter appear or be cation to indirect lighting, and may be applied pointed out, I have illustrated an embodiment for converting the ordinary lighting outlet, of my invention in the drawing in which the merely by the insertion of a connector into the same reference characters refer to the same parts 75 outlet, into a fixture having all the properties throughout, and wherein: of an indirect lighting fixture. Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of an assembly For the purposes of the invention, an adapter embodying the invention, shown tilted so that is formed with a part capable of interlocking enthe opening for inserting the lamp and its re- 'gagement with the outlet; it also has a portion lation to the bottom face of the lamp appears; so

providing a receptacle for the association and Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the retention of an electrical lamp therewith. As a construction of Fig. 1, parts being shown in elepart of the adapter, there may be arranged, in vation and parts being broken away,- to illusany suitable manner, support means from which trate more clearly the arrangement of the seva shade may be suspended and retained in operaeral elements; and 85 tive relation to the lamp. Provision is made for Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view, illustrating a removability of the shade in this arrangement, constructional detail of the shade supporting although it is not necessarily requisite. means.

Particular application of the invention arises In the assembly shown on the drawing, an

from the use of an electrical lamp, itself preadapter 10-has related. thereto a shade 12; be- 90 pared in such manner that no rays may travel tween them is positioned an electrical lamp 14. o the p in a direction tow d th Shading Adapter 10 may be of any desired construction, means. Lighting of this character requires a but preferably has formed therewith, or in any larger luminous capacity for the light source manner secured thereto, a connector 16. This tha in t as Of direct lighting- S nce the connector or elements similar thereto are media 95 normal tende cy w u d be P de lamps of by which the unit, as a whole, may be connected ordinary capacities for use in such assemblies, with any ordinary lighting outlet. Preferably, and Since Su h la p would not p p rly produce for convenience in making connection to standthe results desired, there is associated, in conrd tl t and l for efficiency i t juncti wi h h lamp receiving p rtion of the tention of the parts with relation to such out-' 10 fixture, means for preventing insertion of lamps let, the connector is screw-threaded. of less than a certain predetermined luminous Th particular construction of the elements capacity. Th shad supp tin m a s. r this within the casing l8 of the adapter is of no P p is made the agency for y n Ou is material import herein. The connections from function. It is arranged to prevent the associathe connector to socket 20 of receptacle 22 may tion with the receptacle, of lamps other than be formed in any desired manner so that a lamp those having predetermined shaping and, there- 14, positioned in the receptacle, will be posifore, of a predetermined lighting value. tively connected to the power source through Other objects of this invention will hereinafter the outlet into which connector 16 may be in- 55 be set forth, or will be apparent from the deserted. For the reception of the lamp into this tending downwardly therefrom, in the construction in which lamp 14 extends from receptacle 22, are a plurality of supporting members, in this case taking the form of rods 26. These rods may be secured to the casing in any preferred manner; they are herein disclosed as welded into recesses 28 formed by the pressedout portions 30 in the lower rim 32 of the casing, provided for that purpose. The rim, as seen in Fig. 3, is formed as a step in the wall of the casing, and determines the upper limit of association for each rod with the adapter.

The rods are extended downwardly and outwardly, to position their ends 34 in laterally spaced relation to the lamp retained by the adapter and also at a predetermined level relative thereto. The ends 34 are formed with upwardly extending nibs 36 which may be sprung into openings 38 provided on shade 12 by offset members 40. These members are secured in any desired manner, as by welding, adjacent the rim 42. of the shade.

The shade itself may be made of any suitable material. Preferably, it is of metal, shaped like a bowl. In one selected form, the bowl has a cut-out 44 formed at its center. The metal at the cut-out may be dished upwardly, as at 46, for ornamental purposes, and also to protect against abrasion the hand of one inserting a lamp 14 into receptacle 22. Ribbing 48 also adds to the ornamental features of the fixture but, together with the dished-up section 46, strengthens the shade so that thin metal of no consequential weight'may be used, thus reducing the load on the adapter.

As is noted from this, cut-out-44 permits the association of lamps 14 with receptacle 22 when such may be desired. The size of cut-out 44 is limited predeterminedly so that the bulb of a lamp to be inserted therethrough for assembly with the receptacle must be smaller than the limit set thereby. This is true not only in effecting such association, but also when subsequently the assembly is positioned for use. By this is meant that while it is evident that nibs 36 could be removed from openings 38, and a lamp having a bulb 50 substantially of any dimension, without reference to cut-out 44, then assembled with the receptacle, still if thereafter it be attempted to assemble those nibs in openings 38 for retaining shade 12 in position, bulb 50 would extend downwardly sufficiently to prevent such association, if it were oversize. For this purpose, the dimensioning of rods 26 and the dished-up section 46 must be coordinated for the assembly of bulbs of a predetermined length where a predetermined bulb diameter is desired.

Preferably lamps having the shaping shown in the drawing are used, since, in this type of lamp, the filament 49 is substantially at the center of the spherical body of bulb 50. Its illumination is much more central than that derived from long filament bulbs. These substantially spherical bulb lamps, as is generally well known,

are formed with long necks 52 extending from the ends 24 to the spherical bulb part.

It is desired that, in any particular assembly, the amount of lumens produced shall be a certain minimum. Since the size of the bulbs and the length of their necks conform closely to the quantity of lumens produced by any particular bulb, and are substantially proportionate thereto, rods 26 are shaped to permit association with a particular receptacle of a lamp having the requisite dimensions for emitdesigned substantially L-shape in appearance, extending away from the casing in a line following closely that of the shaping of neck 52. At the juncture of the neck and the bulb, a rounded fillet is provided. Rods 26, conforming thereto, have rounded corners 54 from which extend away substantially horizontal sections 56, terminating in ends 34. In this manner, the shaping of the rods is such that lamps 14, of insufficient capacity, may not be assembled with the adapter, as the rounded corners 54, positioned by the legs 58 of the rods, will prevent access to the receptacle by short neck, low capacity lamps;

Lamps for use in these adapters have a lower section 60 of the bulb 50 coated or otherwise provided with a reflector 62 adapted to redirect light rays back into the bulb. Light rays, tending toward the cut-out 44, will thereby be directed upwardly toward the ceiling or like member, from which they may be diffused over the surface and parts to be illuminated. The reflector 62 extends above the level of the filament 49 in a preferred construction, thus preventing any direct downward rays from passing from the lamp. Also, this position of the filament with regard to the rim 42 of the shade, whereby all rays passing from the lamp must first pass awayfrom the point to be illuminated, is assured by the formation of rods 26, previously set forth.

In order to prevent the production of shadows, section 64 of the bulb and the neck 52 are formed of frosted, rather than transparent, glass for diffusing rays issuing at these points. Shadows of rods 26 and of the casing on the ceiling or 115 other parts with relation to which the adapter is assembled are, by this means, eliminated. The inner face 66 of the shade preferably is finished in a dull, light absorbing color to prevent refiection from its surface.

It will thus be observed that I have attained one of the main functions of my invention in that I have provided an inexpensive and simple indirect lighting unit assembly which can be substituted for a bulb in the same manner as one bulb can be substituted for another, and which, merely by such substitution, will give the results of a complete and efficiently operating, indirect lighting assembly without requiring the work of an electrician or any wiring or other mechanical or electrical changes. Further, I have assured that the efiiciency of the assembly shall not be marred by inexpert or careless arrangement of improper lighting elements therewith.

Many other changes could be effected in the particular apparatus designed, and in the methods of operation set forth, and in the 'speciflc details thereof, without substantially departing from the invention intended to be defined in the claim, the specific description hereinabove being merely to illustrate an operative embodiment carrying out the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- An indirect lighting unit comprising in combination a connector memberadapted for association with a standard lamp outlet and provided with means suitable for receiving an illuminating bulb, an illuminating bulbpositioned within said socket, said bulb comprising a substantially spherical portion Joined to a relatively narrow neck portion carrying a base suitable for insertion into said receiving means, a part 01 the spherical surface of said bulb being provided with areflecting coating preventing outward passage or the light rays and redirecting them,

a bowl-shaped reflector fixedly positioned in relation to said connector member by a plurality of supporting members springing from the connector and running along the neck portion of the bulb and substantially up to the beginning '01 the spherical portion of the bulb, and from that point directed outwardly in a substantially horizontal direction and with their outer ends. 

